The 22d Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron is a provisional
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
unit, assigned to
Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command (AMC) is a major command (MAJCOM) of the U.S. Air Force. It is headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, east of St. Louis, Missouri.
Air Mobility Command was established on 1 June 1992, and was formed from elements ...
. It is engaged in combat operations as part of the
Global War on Terrorism in
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
. Its current status and location are undetermined. The squadron's permanent designation is the 22d Air Refueling Squadron.
During World War II, the 22d Bombardment Squadron was a heavy
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is a four-engined heavy bomber developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). Relatively fast and high-flying for a bomber of its era, the B-17 was used primarily in the European Theater ...
and later, a medium
B-25 Mitchell
The North American B-25 Mitchell is an American medium bomber that was introduced in 1941 and named in honor of Major General William "Billy" Mitchell, a pioneer of U.S. military aviation. Used by many Allied air forces, the B-25 served in ...
bomb squadron which fought in the Southwest Pacific and China-Burma-India theaters.
History World War II
Formed in 1939 as a prewar bomb squadron, equipped with
Douglas B-18 Bolo
The Douglas B-18 Bolo is an American heavy bomber which served with the United States Army Air Corps and the Royal Canadian Air Force (as the Digby) during the late 1930s and early 1940s. The Bolo was developed by the Douglas Aircraft Company f ...
s, later early model
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is a four-engined heavy bomber developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). Relatively fast and high-flying for a bomber of its era, the B-17 was used primarily in the European Theater ...
es. Flew antisubmarine patrols off California coast, 8 December – c. 10 December 1941. Deployed to Southwest Pacific Theater and assigned to Fifth Air Force in Australia, engaging in combat, c. 13 January – c. 1 March 1942; detachment under control of United States Navy in combat from the Fiji Islands and Australia, 14 February – c. 14 March 1942. Surviving B-17 aircraft and personnel reassigned to other units in Australia, March 1942 and unit reassigned without personnel or equipment to the United States for re-equipping and remanning as medium bomber squadron.
Re-equipped as a
North American B-25 Mitchell bomb squadron and deployed to
Tenth Air Force
The Tenth Air Force (10 AF) is a unit of the U.S. Air Force, specifically a numbered air force of the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC). 10 AF is headquartered at Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base/Carswell Field (formerly Carswell AF ...
for combat in the China-Burma-India theater, 14 December 1942 – 25 July 1945. Deployed to Karachi, India; Chakulia, India; and Yangkai, China. While in Calcutta, India, the unit converted to the
Douglas A-26 Invader attack bomber. During World War II, the unit earned two Distinguished Unit Citations and participated in nine separate campaigns. Personnel demobilized in India after the war, and the 22d was inactivated as a paper unit in the United States in November 1945.
Strategic Air Command
On 16 June 1950, the 22d Air Refueling Squadron was activated at
March Air Force Base, California, flying the
Boeing KC-97
The Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter is a four-engined, piston-powered United States strategic tanker aircraft based on the Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter. It replaced the KB-29 and was succeeded by the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker.
Design and developme ...
Aircraft. The squadron relocated to McChord AFB, WA on 15 June 1960 where it later upgraded to the
Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an American military aerial refueling aircraft that was developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype, alongside the Boeing 707 airliner. It is the predominant variant of the C-135 Stratolifter family of transpor ...
. The squadron was inactivated on 1 July 1962. The Squadron was reactivated at March on 1 July 1963, flying the KC-135 and EC-135 aircraft.
In 1962, SAC established an airborne command post at
Offutt Air Force Base
Offutt Air Force Base is a U.S. Air Force base south of Omaha, adjacent to Bellevue in Sarpy County, Nebraska. It is the headquarters of the U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM), the 557th Weather Wing, and the 55th Wing (55 WG) of the Air ...
, Nebraska, nicknamed
Looking Glass
A mirror or looking glass is an object that Reflection (physics), reflects an image. Light that bounces off a mirror will show an image of whatever is in front of it, when focused through the lens of the eye or a camera. Mirrors reverse the ...
, to ensure continuity of
command and control
Command and control (abbr. C2) is a "set of organizational and technical attributes and processes ... hatemploys human, physical, and information resources to solve problems and accomplish missions" to achieve the goals of an organization or en ...
of SAC forces in the event of a nuclear attack. Looking Glass was soon augmented by auxiliary aircraft stationed with the headquarters of SAC's three
Numbered Air Force
A Numbered Air Force (NAF) is a type of organization in the United States Air Force that is subordinate to a List of Major Commands of the United States Air Force, major command (MAJCOM) and has assigned to it operational units such as wings, squ ...
s. The 22d received
Boeing EC-135C
The Boeing EC-135 is a retired family of command and control aircraft derived from the Boeing C-135 Stratolifter. During the Cold War, the EC-135 was best known for being modified to perform the Looking Glass mission where one EC-135 was alway ...
aircraft to operate SAC's Western Auxiliary Command Post's airborne element for
Fifteenth Air Force
The Fifteenth Air Force (15 AF) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command (ACC). It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base. It was reactivated on 20 August 2020, merging the previous units of the Ninth Air Force ...
. The 22d continued to operate PACCS aircraft until 1 April 1970, when SAC reorganized its airborne command post aircraft and withdrew them from vulnerable bases near the coasts like Westover and assigned them to the
2d,
3d, and
4th Airborne Command and Control Squadron
Fourth or the fourth may refer to:
* the ordinal form of the number 4
* ''Fourth'' (album), by Soft Machine, 1971
* Fourth (angle), an ancient astronomical subdivision
* Fourth (music), a musical interval
* ''The Fourth'' (1972 film), a Sovie ...
s, stationed at bases closer to the heartland of North America.
It was deployed to Andersen AB, Guam whereupon it supported the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
until mid-1973. The squadron was inactivated on 1 December 1989.
On 19 Sep 1985 the 22d Air Refueling Squadron was consolidated with the 22d Bombardment Squadron (Medium), a unit that was last active 2 Nov 1945. This action was directed by Department of the Air Force Letter DAF/MPM 662q Attachment 1 (Active Units), 19 Sep 1985. The Consolidated Unit retained the designation of 22d Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy.
Mobility unit
Activated on 1 October 1992 at Mountain Home AFB, ID, it was assigned seven KC-135R model aircraft as part of the Air Force's first Composite Air Intervention Wing. The squadron was consecutively awarded the 366th Wing's Silver Bolt Award for
foreign object damage prevention during fiscal year 1997-1 and 1997–2, as well ACC's Best Tanker Award for 1993. The squadron garnered the 366th Wing's only "Outstanding" rating during the July 1995 ORI and its deployed maintenance won the ACC IG Superior Performance Team Award during the 366th Wing's 1997 AEF and first ever combat zone ORI. The 22d ARS was the only squadron in the 366th Wing to display nose art on the entire fleet (nose art developed by crew chief, SSgt Tony Eubanks). It was also awarded the Outstanding Unit Award, 1 June 1998 through 31 May 1999. The squadron was inactivated in 2002.
The unit was converted to provisional status in 2003, and assigned to
Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command (AMC) is a major command (MAJCOM) of the U.S. Air Force. It is headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, east of St. Louis, Missouri.
Air Mobility Command was established on 1 June 1992, and was formed from elements ...
to activate as needed to support combat operations under the purview of
AFCENT, in combat areas as part of the
Global War on Terrorism in
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
.
Lineage
22d Bombardment Squadron
* Constituted as the 22d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) and activated on 20 October 1939
: Redesignated 22d Bombardment Squadron (Medium) c. 15 September 1942
: Redesignated 22d Bombardment Squadron, Medium 28 April 1944
: Inactivated on 2 November 1945
* Consolidated with the 22d Air Refueling Squadron as the 22d Air Refueling Squadron on 19 September 1985
22d Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron
* Constituted as the 22d Air Refueling Squadron, Medium on 5 May 1950
: Activated on 15 June 1950
: Discontinued and inactivated on 1 July 1962
* Redesignated 22d Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy and activated on 21 February 1963 (not organized)
: Organized on 1 July 1963
* Consolidated with the 22d Bombardment Squadron on 19 September 1985
: Inactivated on 1 December 1989
* Redesignated 22d Air Refueling Squadron on 29 September 1992
: Activated on 1 October 1992
: Inactivated on 30 August 2002
* Redesignated 22d Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron and converted to provisional status, 22 January 2003
[
]
Assignments
* 7th Bombardment Group, 20 October 1939 (attached to 17th Bombardment Group
The 17th Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. The group was last stationed at Hurlburt Field, Florida.
The Group is a direct successor to the 17th Pursuit Group, one of the 15 original combat air groups formed by the ...
for training, 26 April – 28 May 1942)
* 341st Bombardment Group, 15 September 1942 – 2 November 1945
* 22d Bombardment Group
D, or d, is the fourth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''dee'' (pronounced ), plural ''dees''.
History
The ...
, 16 June 1950 (attached to 22d Bombardment Wing
The 22d Air Refueling Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Mobility Command's Eighteenth Air Force. It is stationed at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas and also functions as the host wing for McConnell.
Its primary missio ...
after 10 February 1951)
* 22d Bombardment Wing, 16 June 1952
* 92d Bombardment Wing
9 (nine) is the natural number following and preceding .
Evolution of the Arabic digit
In the beginning, various Indians wrote a digit 9 similar in shape to the modern closing question mark without the bottom dot. The Kshatrapa, Andhra and ...
(later 92d Strategic Aerospace Wing), 15 June 1960 – 1 July 1962
* Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command (SAC) was both a United States Department of Defense Specified Command and a United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command responsible for command and control of the strategic bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile ...
, 21 February 1963 (not organized)
* 22d Bombardment (later, 22d Air Refueling) Wing, 1 July 1963 – 1 December 1989
* 366th Wing, 1 October 1992 – 30 August 2002
* Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command (AMC) is a major command (MAJCOM) of the U.S. Air Force. It is headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, east of St. Louis, Missouri.
Air Mobility Command was established on 1 June 1992, and was formed from elements ...
to activate or inactivate at any time after 22 January 2003
* Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command (ACC) is one of nine Major Commands (MAJCOMs) in the United States Air Force, reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force (HAF) at the Pentagon. It is the primary provider of air combat forces for the Air Force, and i ...
to activate or inactivate at any time after 19 March 2003[
:: ]376th Expeditionary Operations Group
The 376th Expeditionary Operations Group was a provisional United States Air Force Air Combat Command unit. It was stationed at the Transit Center at Manas International Airport, Kyrgyz Republic, up until 2014.
Originally activated in World Wa ...
22 January 2003 - c. 2014
Stations
* Hamilton Field, California, 20 October 1939
* Fort Douglas, Utah
Camp Douglas was established in October 1862, during the American Civil War, as a small military garrison about three miles east of Salt Lake City, Utah, to protect the overland mail route and telegraph lines along the Central Overland Route. In ...
, 7 September 1940
* Salt Lake City Army Air Base, Utah, c. 21 June – 13 November 1941
* Archerfield Airport, (Brisbane) Australia, 22 December 1941
: Air echelon at: Muroc Army Air Field, California, 8 - c. 12 December 194
: Air echelon at: Hickam Field, Hawaii (Territory), 18 December 1941 – 5 January 1942
: Air echelon at: Singosari, Java
Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's List ...
, 13 – 19 January 1942
* Jogjakarta
Yogyakarta (; jv, ꦔꦪꦺꦴꦒꦾꦏꦂꦠ ; pey, Jogjakarta) is the capital city of Special Region of Yogyakarta in Indonesia, in the south-central part of the island of Java. As the only Indonesian royal city still ruled by a monarchy, ...
, Java, 19 January 1942
: Detachment operated from: Nandi Airport, Fiji Islands
Fiji ( , ,; fj, Viti, ; Fiji Hindi: फ़िजी, ''Fijī''), officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists ...
, 14-c. 18 February 1942
: Detachment operated from: RAAF Base Townsville
RAAF Base Townsville (formerly RAAF Base Garbutt) is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) air base located in , west of Townsville in Queensland, Australia. It is the headquarters for No. 1 Wing Australian Air Force Cadets and, along with L ...
, Australia, c. 20 February – c. 14 March 1942
* Essendon Airport (Melbourne), Australia, c. 4 March – 6 April 1942
* Columbia Army Air Base, South Carolina, 26 April – 28 May 1942
* Karachi
Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former cap ...
, India, 23 July 1942
* Chakulia, India, 3 December 1942
* Yangkai, China, 8 January 1944 – c. September 1945
: Detachments operated from: Yunnani, 29 April – 6 May 1944, and c. 5 November 1944 – c. 20 January 1945
: Detachments operated from: Peishiyi, February – 25 March 1945
: Detachments operated from: Chihkiang, 29 March – c. 1 April 1945
* Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, 1–2 November 1945
* March AFB
March Air Reserve Base (March ARB), previously known as March Air Force Base (March AFB) is located in Riverside County, California between the cities of Riverside, Moreno Valley, and Perris. It is the home to the Air Force Reserve Command's Fo ...
, California, 16 June 1950
: Deployed at: RAF Mildenhall, England, 7 December 1953 – 5 March 1954
: Ernest Harmon Air Force Base, Newfoundland, 3 March – 19 April 1955
: Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, 3 January – 2 May 1956
* McChord Air Force Base, Washington, 15 June 1960 – 1 July 1962
* March Air Force Base, California, 1 July 1963 – 1 December 1989
: Deployed to: Andersen Air Force Base
Andersen Air Force Base (Andersen AFB, AAFB) is a United States Air Force base located primarily within the village of Yigo in the United States territory of Guam. The host unit at Andersen AFB is the 36th Wing (36 WG), assigned to the Pacific ...
, Guam
Guam (; ch, Guåhan ) is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. It is the westernmost point and territory of the United States (reckoned from the geographic cent ...
, 1 July 1963 – 15 August 1973
* Mountain Home Air Force Base
Mountain Home Air Force Base is a United States Air Force (USAF) installation in the western United States. Located in southwestern Idaho in Elmore County, the base is southwest of Mountain Home, which is southeast of Boise via Interstate ...
, Idaho, 1 October 1992 – 30 August 2002[
* Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan, 22 January 2003 – c. 2014
]
Aircraft
* Douglas B-18 Bolo, 1939–1940
* Northrop A-17
The Northrop A-17, a development of the Northrop Gamma 2F model, was a two-seat, single-engine, monoplane, attack bomber built in 1935 by the Northrop Corporation for the United States Army Air Corps. When in British Commonwealth service during W ...
, 1939–1940
* Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, 1940–1942
* North American B-25 Mitchell; 1942–1945
* Douglas A-26 Invader, 1945
* Boeing KC-97 Stratotanker, 1952–1960
* Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker, 1960–1962; 1963–1967; 1967–1989; 1992–2002, 2003–Present
* Boeing EC-135, 1963–1970[
]
See also
* United States Army Air Forces in Australia
* Post Attack Command and Control System – for 22 ARS' contribution to PACCS
References
Notes
; Explanatory notes
; Citations
Bibliography
*
*
External links
22d Bomb Squadron Association
{{Strategic Air Command
Military units and formations in Idaho
022
Air expeditionary squadrons of the United States Air Force